A Christmas To Remember
by Morak120
Summary: Oh Christmas, so full of joy and excitement for everyone! Except for one who never truly got to experience it. Looks like a certain pink haired girl is going to have to show him just how great Christmas can be. NaruSaku
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto: Shippuuden, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.**

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><p><em>ACHOO!<em>

This sound echoed throughout the house of a certain blonde haired man, causing him to get up with a quiet groan. "For fucks sake..." He said, rubbing the back of his head. "That sneeze was so bad, it made me bash my head against the backboard." He muttered in pain. This thought caused him to look down at the edge of his bed; he sighed inwardly when he saw how little room there was between where his feet were, and where the bed ended. "I need a new bed soon... This old thing is getting too small for me." He pointed out, before swinging his legs off the bed, and adjust himself to a sitting position.

He got up and stretched his arms, letting out a loud yawn while his muscles started to wake up. He walked into the kitchen and began brewing a pot of coffee, and while it was preparing he tapped his stomach, specifically his seal. "Oi, Kurama you up yet?" He asked, hearing a growl emerge in his subconscious.

_**Kit, just because that's where the seal is located, that doesn't mean I'm going to hear it. Your loud voice is more than enough. **_The demon bluntly stated, a small yawn escaping his lips as he spoke.

Naruto laughed nervously while he poured himself a cup, he knew Kurama wasn't a morning person and was expecting pretty much anything from the demon. "I guess I deserve that." He admitted, before taking a sip of the hot liquid. He walked over to the window, and looked outside to the snow-covered streets of Konoha. Winter wasn't exactly his favorite season, he didn't like having to bundle up just to stay at a comfortable temperature, but he couldn't deny how beautiful the village would look with a blanket of snow.

His eyes perked up a bit when he saw a certain pink haired woman walking down the street, specifically toward _his_ house. "Speaking of beautiful." He said to himself, before finishing off his coffee. He went into the other room, and started to prepare for the day, and for _her_.

_**Ugh... It's like all you do is vomit up rainbows. **_Kurama exasperated, barely capable of withstanding Naruto's sheer positivity.

"Oiii, Naruto!" The blonde looked out from his room, just before finishing getting ready for the day. As he did, he heard the door to his house open and close. "S-Sheesh it's cold today!" The voice said, with a couple of shivers resonating in her words.

The blonde ran out of his room, skidding on the floor to greet his guest. "HELLO, SAKURA-CHA-! Gueh!" The blonde choked out, as he was knocked to the floor by a quick jab to the gut.

Sakura put her hands on her hips, all the while staring down at the blonde in annoyance. "Baka! What are you trying to do, scare me to death?! And why don't you have a shirt on? You're just going to get sick!" She lectured the blonde, not in the mood for his carelessness.

Naruto laid on the ground, trying to recover from the sudden hit. "S-Showwy, Shakuwa-chuan..." He slurred, before getting up, and walking down the hall. "P-Please make yourself at home, while I finish getting dressed." He said, rubbing his stomach as he walked into his room.

Sakura huffed a bit, before taking off her shoes. "Baka... Why does he always try to surprise me like that?" She grumbled to herself as she stepped into the house. She looked over at the blonde's thermostat, her eyebrows furrowing at the sight. "Well, that explains why it really isn't that much warmer in here. He can't adjust his heating." She said to herself while she looked at the broken thermostat.

She walked into the living room, and was surprised by how... Clean it was. Granted, when compared to, say, her house it was alright at best. However, the last time she paid Naruto a visit, it was a pigsty. It was a refreshing change, honestly. She sat down on his couch, and jumped a bit from the cold fabric. "I should've stayed standing... I would've been warmer." She muttered, before letting it go, not really caring now that she was off her feet.

It wasn't even 10 seconds later, before Sakura heard the door to Naruto's room open. He walked into the living room with a black sweater on, waving to the pinkette. "S-Sorry about earlier, Sakura-chan. I wasn't expecting you to visit, is all!" He explained, laughing a bit as he started rubbing the back of his head.

Sakura huffed a bit, before folding her arms. "Still doesn't justify you surprising me like that." She said, giving him a hard stare. She closed her eyes, before leaning back a bit. "Whatever, it doesn't matter now." She muttered, letting out a frustrated groan.

Naruto's eyebrows raised a bit in confusion from Sakura's reaction. Normally she would berate him for his childish behavior for at least 10 minutes, but now she just looked drained. "You okay, Sakura-chan?" He asked simply, causing her to open an eye toward him.

"Yeah, I am. Why?" She answered with a question of her own, feeling the blonde's concern was rather random.

The blonde closed his eyes, and folded his arms as he began to think hard on the matter. "Well, you look mentally drained. You also gave up on giving me a lecture, which you've never done before!" He explained, nodding to himself in agreement. "That fussy side of yours would never let something I do go so easily!" He continued, causing an annoyed look to sprout from the pinkette.

"Tread carefully, Naruto." She warned, irritation filling her voice as the blonde jumped a bit nervously. She sat up, pinching the bridge of her nose. "But yeah, I am a bit worn out..." She admitted almost unwillingly.

The blonde pulled up a chair and sat in front of her, giving her his trademark grin. "Wanna talk about it? I'm great at listening to people!" He said, chuckling at the end of his sentence.

Sakura gave the blonde a long stare, almost surprised by his offer. Almost. She then finally gave him a smile, before standing up. "Sure, but not here." She answered, before looking over her shoulder at the blonde. "Your apartment is a bit too stuffy for a long conversation." She said with a laugh, happy to get a pout from the blonde.

"Oi, I tried cleaning up..." He muttered, before standing up and putting on his jacket. He put on his shoes, and walked out of his apartment with Sakura, his eyes widening when he heard about the secrets of 'dusting'.

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><p>The two walked in silence, both not really sure where to go, or what to say really. Sakura looked down, fidgeting with her scarf in frustration.<p>

_Come on... I've talked to Naruto hundreds of times! Thousands! I can start one pesky conversation with him!_

Sakura's eyes closed a bit, uncertain on what to say, or if she even _should _say anything. Her eyes made their way to Naruto, who was walking with his arms folded behind his head. He wore his normal orange and black attire, only now he was sporting a black scarf. Honestly nothing changed about how he would normally act around her, and he was probably just waiting for her to say something. She did bring him out after all.

"Hm? Sakura-chan?" Naruto's sudden words knocked the pinkette out of her stare, causing her to look down, hiding a sudden blush. The blonde blinked at the pinkette's actions, only giving a small chuckle. "Sakura-chan, you don't have to get flustered!" He stated to her.

Sakura's eyes widened at his words, knowing he had in fact caught her blush. She turned to him, baring her teeth. "I-I'm not-!" She never finished her sentence, as she saw the blonde giving her a genuine smile.

He chuckled once again while closing his eyes, trying to help make the conversation as casual as possible. "Talk when ya feel like it. It shouldn't be something you have to force yourself to say, ttebayo!" He said, his smile never wavering before looking forward once again.

Sakura looked back at the ground, the fist she made slowly going away as she pouted a bit. "I... I know that, baka." She muttered, her face turning another shade of red.

_Why am I getting flustered?! And why is it so bad that even NARUTO caught on to it?!_

Naruto's eyes perked up a bit, as he saw a coffee shop a bit down the road. "You want to get some coffee, Sakura-chan? I'm sure a nice hot drink will calm you down!" He said, smiling over at the pinkette.

Said pinkette turned to him, an annoyed look plastered on her red face. "I-I AM calm!" She stuttered, before folding her arms. "I... It's just the kind of thing I don't normally talk about, is all!" She explained, avoiding eye contact with him. Naruto accepted her reason, then walked over with her to get coffee.

They both walked out of the coffee shop with their hot drinks, the blonde sighing in satisfaction after taking a sip. "That's much better~" He said happily, loving the warmth driving out the bitter cold. The pinkette couldn't agree more, smiling after sipping her coffee. The blonde turned to her as they walked, raising an eyebrow. "So, you ready to talk now?" He asked, impatience setting in as he really was getting curious at this point.

Sakura sighed lowly, looking back at him with an embarrassed smile. "Promise you won't laugh? It's pretty stupid, and kinda selfish." She asked him, only to see a nod in response. She sipped her coffee again, before taking a breath. "Well, given what time of the year it is, my family is incredibly busy. My Mother is an even bigger perfectionist than I am, so even the smallest screw up, or slacking off leads to her giving the person an ear full." She explained, before taking another breath.

Naruto nodded to this, before asking: "Alright, and what does that have to do with being selfish?"

The pinkette laughed a bit, before scratching her cheek. "W-Well... This morning, Mother asked, more like demanded, that I help prepare food for her Christmas eve party. I said no, only because I'm... Not really good at cooking." She said, admitting her bad cooking skills. An annoyed look showed up on her face, as she continued. "Of course, she didn't respond kindly to that. We got into an argument, then I stormed out. And I... Decided to come see you. I figured you would listen to what I had to say." She once again admitted, looking to the side.

The blonde chuckled a bit, before nodding in agreement. "Well, you weren't wrong." He said, smiling a bit before sipping his coffee again. "I'll always listen to what you have to say." He stated, not even realizing what he said to her. He blinked for a moment, then looked over to see a surprised look plastered on Sakura's face. He thought about what he said, and a deep blush appeared on his features.

Sakura laughed at his reaction, causing her to look forward. "Smooth. Next time you try to say something like that, try not to have such a silly look on your face." She said, blushing lightly herself. She then looked back at him, with a sad smile. "Still, it was selfish. I'm sorry that I brought you out here just to complain about my family situation." She apologized, knowing it was rather petty and selfish of her. Naruto could have very well had plans in mind, and he would have set them aside for her. He always would, and it pained her that she knew that. She didn't want to take advantage of him.

Naruto shook his head, his smile fading after finishing his coffee. "Sakura-chan, you don't need to apologize. Sometimes you just need to talk to someone, and as I said before, I'll gladly be that person." He explained, his smile returning in stride.

It was a long silence after that, only to be broken by the blonde. "...Christmas, huh?..." He muttered to himself.

Sakura glanced over at him with a smile. "Yeah. What, did you forget?" She asked jokingly, only to find the blonde not laughing. "N-Naruto?" She asked, stopping and turning toward him, only to find him staring at the ground.

Naruto took a deep breath, before picking his head up, showing a stupid grin on his face as he rubbed the back of his head. "Yup! Totally forgot!" He answered, laughing a bit in response.

Sakura could only frown at the blonde's actions. She couldn't always tell when he was hiding his feelings, but she could now. The blonde laughed again, before walking forward. "Never really celebrated it, only a couple of times with Iruka-sensei, so it just skips my mind sometimes!" He said, hiding any sadness that may have very well been there.

Sakura looked at his back sadly, before looking down while she followed the blonde.

_Right... He has no family to spend christmas with... He's all alone. No one should spend Christmas like that._

_**This coming from the person who was just bitching about said holiday? **_Inner Sakura snorted in response to Sakura's thought. Clearly, she wasn't happy with her.

_I'm not annoyed by the holiday, it's my Mother's strict traditions that piss me off!_

_**That's actually worst, since you're complaining about your parent, to someone who doesn't even know what it's like to have parents! **_Inner shouted in irritation, wanting Sakura to realize the one thing she hadn't concluded.

Sakura's eyes widened greatly at Inner's words. She was completely right. The pinkette never realized how insensitive she was being to Naruto. She looked back at the blonde almost in fear. Did he find it insulting how much she was taking her mother for granted? Was he hurt by how she practically trampled his situation?

It didn't matter at that point, she knew what she did was wrong and unbelievably stupid, even if she may have overreacted to Inner's words. But how would she make it up to him? She knew an apology wouldn't work, he either wouldn't understand, or he would refuse it, saying that it either wasn't a big deal or that he couldn't be upset with her. Just a gift wouldn't be enough either, no... No she had to do something big for him.

Her eyes lit up, before a smile grew on her face as an idea sparked in her head. She looked up at the blonde, then looked down at her watch. She needed time to prepare. She tapped Naruto's shoulder, causing him to look at her. "What is it, Sakura-chan?" He looked at her with curious eyes, before he saw her waving.

She closed her eyes as she gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Naruto! I wanted to hang out more, but... I should probably go apologize and help my Mom. The party's tomorrow, and all that." She explained, knowing the excuse would work.

Thankfully, it did as the blonde smiled in response. "Alright, I hope you two work things out." He responded, his smile turning into his fox like grin.

She waved him goodbye once again, before rushing off, a smirk forming on her face as the plan rolled together perfectly.

_Just watch, Naruto... This is gonna be the best Christmas you've ever had._

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><p>And to be continued in Part 2.<p>

Yeah, it's a BIT on the short side. But part 2 should be longer. (Hopefully.)

Also, yeah this is partially the reason why the next chapter of TLF is being delayed.

Later.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto: Shippuuden, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.**

**Merry Christmas! Hope you like it, cause it's a long one!**

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><p>Naruto could only stare in the direction that the pinkette ran in, his hand slowly lowering from its previous wave. His hand finally fell to his side, his head slowly tilting down until he stared toward the ground. He breathed in deeply, before letting out an inaudible sigh. He slowly swiveled on his heels, and continued to walk down the path he and Sakura were previously walking on. "Sakura-chan..." He muttered to himself.<p>

_**Kit? You okay? **_The large fox asked in concern. It wasn't often that the boy was this quiet.

The blonde kicked the snow somewhat, stuffing his hands in his pockets while he continued his trudge. "No..." He said sadly.

_Just... Only seeing her back as she ran off... Her slowly getting further and further away, and slipping through my grasp just when I thought I was making progress. _He thought sadly. The mere image of Sakura running away was a brutal reminder of all his failures at grabbing her attention.

_**But you know her reason for why she left. The girl said she needed to reconcile with her Mother.**_The kurama pointed out, reassuring the blonde that it was nothing he did.

_I know... And that's the problem. While I'm happy that she decided to do that, a part of me... Almost didn't want her to. I just wanted her to stay by my side, so we could talk more, and so I could get to see even more about her that I've never seen before! _He thought to himself, putting his hand to his chest. Just the idea that he was being selfish, and wanted the pinkette to be with him, made his chest tighten.

_**Well I'll be damned, never thought I'd see the day where YOU were being selfish. **_Kurama laughed, honestly surprised by the blonde's current behavior.

_Yeah... It feels wrong. I don't like feeling like this, when she's just going to see her family, but... I really want to see her again. _He admitted, clutching his jacket and chest.

_**Kit, there's nothing wrong with being selfish sometimes. Hell, I'd say you're to selfless! Maybe the vixen would give you more attention, if you acted a bit more assertive. **_Kurama suggested, honestly refreshed to see a new side to Naruto.

_...Maybe you're right. But not too much... I feel like she'd get pissed if I overdid it... I just want to see her again. _He thought back to when Sakura blushed to some of his comments. It was the first time he had seen her actually blush in front of him before. It may have been in embarrassment, but he cherished those moments. He knew he was being a selfish, hopeless romantic, but he didn't care. He acknowledged a long time ago that he was head over heels for Sakura, and that even _he_ had a right to be selfish sometimes. Even if it did make him feel bad.

Naruto slowly lifted his hands up, until they were in front of his face. He then quickly smacked his hands against his cheeks, snapping himself out of his trance. "Yosh... Now then, Christmas huh?" He asked himself, a smirk showing on his features. "I think I know just what to do..." He said in confidence, walking off to prepare his plan.

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><p>"God that girl drives me nuts sometimes!" Muttered angrily by an older woman, as she began the final touches on her big project. She slammed her hand on the countertop, growling a bit. "First I have to talk her into helping set up the tree, which has been family tradition for years, then she up and leaves just when I need her help preparing food for the party tomorrow!" She exasperated, wrapping up the prepared food, and putting it in the fridge.<p>

She wiped her hands off with a towel, before sitting down in a chair, sighing loudly. "Whatever. She may be eighteen, but she still acts like a kid sometimes." Mebuki sighed tiredly, she didn't have anymore energy to be angry with her daughter.

"I'm home!" Called out a certain pink haired girl, kicking off her shoes as she shut the door, not even taking a step before she heard the footsteps of her mother rushing toward the hall.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEE- Wait, what's all that for?" The blonde haired woman asked curiously, pointing to the several bags Sakura had in her arms. Judging from some of the items poking out of a few of the bags, she could guess that it was food, which honestly baffled her. Sakura bought groceries?

Sakura let out a bit of a grunt while stepping up from the doorway and into the hall, walking past her Mother. "I spent some time hanging out with Naruto, then I went to a few stores." She answered, before looking back toward Mebuki. "Oh, Mom, is the kitchen good to go?" She asked, not even thinking about the fight they had earlier.

Mebuki's eyes widened at Sakura's words, before clicking the roof of her mouth. "Oh, so NOW you want to cook?" She asked in annoyance, her anger starting to return.

Sakura nodded, before walking into the kitchen. "Oh, guess it is." She said to herself, before placing everything on the table. Before she got started, she took one of the bags, and put it in her room. When she got back, she found her mother opening the bags, and peering inside of them.

Mebuki analyzed what Sakura bought, and was certainly surprised. She bought two of everything! It looked like the ingredients for a big dinner. "You bought a lot of different stuff, Sakura. What is all of this for?" She asked curiously, not sure what her daughter was planning. It certainly didn't seem to be anything related to what their family was planning.

Sakura rushed over quickly, and stood between the bags, and her Mother. "I-It's nothing!" She stuttered, looking at her Mother nervously.

Mebuki put her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes at her daughter. "It most certainly does not look like 'nothing'." Mebuki stated, looking right through Sakura. "You bought enough ingredients to make a big Christmas dinner. You would never want to prepare dinner for us, Sakura. Hell, I don't think I've ever seen you cook anything outside an omelet without it burning!" She pointed out, causing her daughter to hang her head sadly. "So, I'll ask again. What. Is. This. For?" She asked clearly, and impatiently. It wasn't like Sakura to spend so much money, and she was going to find out.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something, but her Mother's hard stare shut her up. She looked down, biting her lip. Her stubbornness, and her pride were being pushed to extreme degrees. She didn't want to admit to her mother that she was going to prepare dinner for her teammate, or more specifically, a guy. Which would also mean that she would more than likely miss Christmas with her parents. She also didn't want to admit that she needed help.

_She's never going to let me hear the end of this... _Sakura thought grimly to herself.

She took a deep breath, before sighing lowly. "Alright... When I was with Naruto earlier, I found out that he never had a real Christmas before. I felt so bad for him, so I decided that I would spend Christmas trying to make him happy. So, I bought a gift for him, and I bought all the things needed to make dinner." She admitted, her fists trembling anxiously. "But... I bought two sets of ingredients because I wanted to practice tonight, so I wouldn't screw it up. And... In order to do this, I might end up not spending Christmas with you guys..." She finished, closing her eyes preparing for her Mother to give an earful.

Instead, she heard a long sigh. "Aah, is that all? I was actually worried for a second there." Mebuki said, closing an eye while the pink haired girl looked at her in shock.

Sakura stared at her Mother, blinking every so often as her mouth hung open. "So... You're not mad?" She asked, uncertainty filling her being.

Mebuki put her hand on Sakura's shoulder, giving her daughter a warm smile. "Of course I'm not mad. In fact, that's very touching of you to do, Sakura." She said, her smile widening as a thought occurred to her. "Naruto must mean a great deal to you if you're willing to go to such lengths to make him happy." She concluded, causing the pinkette to look down.

A tint of red spread across Sakura's face, as she began to fidget. "Y-Yeah... You could say that." She muttered, blinking when she felt her Mother's hand leave her shoulder. She looked back up to see her Mother putting her apron back on. "W-Wait, what're you doing?" She asked, not really sure of her Mother's intentions.

Mebuki smiled once again, preparing some tools. "I'm going to help you get this dinner right! I'm not about to let my daughter embarrass herself in front of a boy she likes!" She stated, a cheeky grin showing on her face. "Us Harunos have a reputation to uphold!" She explained, pride showing on her features.

Sakura's face turned a dark crimson, her eyes widening as she began to shake her head. "W-Wait, what makes you think I like him?!" She stuttered nervously, not really doing a good job hiding her emotions.

Mebuki laughed at Sakura's reaction, before walking over, putting an apron in her daughter's hands. "Because you were never good at hiding how you truly feel, Sakura." Mebuki explained, giving a motherly smile to her daughter. She then picked up the bags, and brought them to the counter. "Now, you better watch carefully!" She stated, causing Sakura to snap back into her senses.

"R-Right!"

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><p>"D-Damn it got a lot colder all of a sudden!" Exclaimed the blonde, quickly turning the lock to his apartment, and opening the door. He quickly stepped in and closed the door behind him, grabbing his arms for quick warmth. He locked the door, then stepped inside, feeling warmer, but only by so much.<p>

He took off his shoes, and stepped out of the entry way and into the hall. Before walking into the living room, he glanced over at the broken thermostat and furrowed his eyebrows. "This is exactly why I told the old man to get this thing fixed... Sure it's warmer in here than it is outside, but I wouldn't call 45 degrees a comfortable temperature!" Naruto shouted to himself, the cold only shortening his temper.

He walked over to the cabinet, and pulled out a cup of instant ramen. "Wish I could go to Ichiraku's... That would have kept me warm for hours." He mumbled sadly, putting water in a kettle, and letting it heat up. Despite his sad tone, he still had a small smile on his face. "Still, I don't regret the purchase I did make." He said happily, fishing a small box out of his pocket. He stared at it for a long while, before putting it back in his pocket.

He finished preparing his ramen, then sat down at his coffee table, eating the noodles slowly. He honestly wasn't thinking about his dinner, his mind was too busy drifting. He stared absently toward a random corner of the room, his eyes half open as his thoughts drifted over to one subject in particular. Sakura.

Multiple scenarios played out in his head in regards to the gift he got for her. The one scenario that stood out was that she would be so overjoyed by the gift, she would give him a loving kiss in response. That one immediately made him smile.

_**Oh for God's sake. Can you go like, five minutes without thinking about this girl? **_Kurama asked tiredly. He had been dealing with Naruto's thoughts all days. If they weren't focused on Sakura, then they were focused on ramen.

Naruto was snapped out of his thoughts, looking down at his cup to see that all was left of his ramen was the soup. He finished it, then tossed out the empty cup. He stretched his arms, then gave an annoyed look toward the cieling.

_Yeah, course I can. _The blonde thought matter-of-factually, he didn't understand where Kurama kept getting this notion that Sakura was all he thought about... That and Ramen.

_**Oh yeah? You sure about that? **_The fox asked sarcastically, knowing the blonde couldn't do it.

Naruto closed his eyes, and tried to think of other things. He thought about his previous battles, about his friends... About ramen. Still, with every thought he had, in the back of his mind he felt something... It got stronger with every thought he had, until it shattered his thought process, revealing an image of Sakura giving him a bright loving smile.

The blonde groaned as he sat back against the couch. "Okay... No I can't..." He admitted, letting out a sigh in response. He looked at his hands, they were trembling, most likely from his anxious feelings. "Why is she always on my mind?... I know I love her, but dammit, it's like whenever I try to think of something else, she always finds a way to become the center of my thoughts!" He exclaimed, rubbing his head while he stared at the wall. He lowered his hand, closing his eyes once again. "Just how in love am I?" He asked to himself.

He shook his head, before getting up and stretching his arms. "Well, I'll figure that out tomorrow. Time for bed..." He muttered, before making his way to his room.

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><p>Sakura let out a large sigh, staring as her Mother, along with a couple of her friends were laughing loudly, drinking spiked eggnog together.<p>

"So then I said, 'I don't care, I'm not going to pretend date you just to impress your friends!' And that's how I met Kizashi!" Mebuki laughed, taking another sip of her drink, while her friends laughed along with her.

Kizashi slumped over, laughing sadly. "Sweetheart, have mercy, please." He asked grimly.

Sakura looked around at her family, and some of her parents friends having a good time. She also saw her friend, Ino, chatting with one of the many adults in the room. Most likely asking about her favorite type of flower, or something.

The pinkette put her glass of water down, before walking out of the room, hoping to get some fresh air elsewhere. The living room was too stuffy for her taste. She walked into her room, and closed the door behind her.

She opened the door to her balcony, and stepped out, taking in the sharp cold air. Only this time it felt soothing. She sighed sadly, before looking back toward her bedroom door.

_Maybe I'll just spend the rest of the night in my room... _She thought tiredly to herself, honestly not feeling like socializing.

It wasn't to say that she didn't like parties, she just had to much on her mind to really be able to enjoy her Mom's Christmas Eve party. She put her hand on the railing, and winced as she pulled her hand back.

She looked down at her somewhat bandaged hands, still feeling a bit sensitive after she cut and burnt herself several times the day before. She was happy with the results, but it wasn't easy. One thing she was sure of, she could never thank her Mother enough for helping her. She continued to gaze at her hands, slowly opening them and closing them. Staring at her hands only reminded her of what was coming tomorrow. She felt anxious, even more so than yesterday. She put her hand to her chest, her face flushing more than it already was.

_Naruto..._

"Figured I'd find you here, Forehead." Said a certain blonde haired girl, causing the pinkette to jump in response.

Sakura looked at Ino in shock, taking deep breaths as she recovered from her scare. "I-Ino-pig?! W-Weren't you downstairs?" She asked, not really sure why Ino decided to follow her to her room.

Ino shrugged, walking up next to her. "Yeah, but everyone started to get drunk, which made keeping a conversation going pretty difficult." She explained, looking over at the flushed pinkette. "So, what's on your mind?" She asked, tilting her head a bit curiously.

Sakura shook her head somewhat, while she stared down at the empty street. "Nothing..." She said quietly, not even bothering to make a convincing attempt. She didn't have it in her to do so.

Ino noticed this, before laughing a bit. "Wow, whatever's on your mind must really be getting to you. I've never seen you put up so little resistance before." She stated, before looking up at the sky. "Come on, you seriously can't tell me, Sakura?" She asked, dropping her nickname for the pinkette. She was serious.

Sakura was quiet for a while, before opening her mouth. "...Naruto..." She mumbled, so quietly that it was practically inaudible.

Ino looked over at Sakura, raising an eyebrow in response. "Come again?" She asked, hoping Sakura would have the courage to repeat what she had said. She really was curious, and also concerned for her best friend. She had never seen her so shut in like this before.

Sakura closed her eyes tightly, biting her lower lip, before shakily opening her mouth again. "N-Naruto..." She repeated, the emotion in her voice showing uncertainty, but also compassion.

Ino's eyes fully opened, before turning fully to face Sakura. "Ehh? Naruto? What about him?" She asked, not even bothering to ask the pinkette why she said his name the way she did. The process of getting this information out of Sakura was already going to be slow enough.

Sakura folded her arms on the railing, and rested her chin on her arms. "I... I'm going to be spending Christmas with him tomorrow." She explained, her gaze still locked on the empty street. She figured Ino was surprised, given the gasp that came from said blonde.

"W-What?! You're spending Christmas with HIM?! Like a date?!" She asked, pressing Sakura further. This was some juicy news, and she wanted to hear everything about it.

Sakura stood up fully, and turned to her friend, her face completely red. "N-NO idiot! Not a date!" She said, her sudden frustration leaving as she put her hands on the railing, ignoring the harsh cold that radiated from it. "W-Well... Maybe? I dunno..." She trailed off, looking down as her eyes hid behind her bangs.

Ino was surprised by Sakura's rather... Uncertain response. She gave her friend a concerned look, leaning forward a bit hoping to catch a glimpse at the pinkette's face. "Sakura, what's going on? I've never seen you act like this before when Naruto is brought up." She questioned, hoping to get the answer out of the pinkette.

Sakura took in a deep breath, then let it out, looking over at Ino. "In all honesty? I don't have a single clue..." She answered, standing up fully before walking back into her room, the cold getting to her.

Ino followed her in, closing the balcony doors behind her. "What do you mean?" She asked, wanting Sakura to talk. She had an idea on what was happening here, but she didn't want to suggest it, this was something Sakura had to discover herself.

The pinkette sat on her bed, looking over at Ino, who decided to sit in her desk chair. "I don't know what's happening to me... Every time I think about Naruto I get... Nervous? Every time I'm around him I feel my chest tightening, and... He always knows what to say, to get me all shaken up." She explained, fidgeting a little. She looked at Ino sadly. "I don't know why I feel this way, and the more I think about it the more conflicted I feel..." She admitted sadly, not sure what to do.

Ino frowned at Sakura's words, folding her arms while she stared at Sakura. "I think you do know what this is. It's actualy rather simple, and you just haven't figured it out yet." She explained simply, giving a slight shrug.

Sakura looked at Ino in shock, blinking rapidly. "W-Wait, it is?! What is it?!" She asked almost desperately.

Ino shook her head, looking at Sakura. "I can't tell you that, Sakura. You need to figure this out on your own. Now think about it, what could all these feelings mean?" She asked the pinkette. She was honestly surprised that Sakura hadn't figured it out yet, she felt this way before... Mostly.

Sakura looked down, thinking hard about the subject. What do these feelings mean? _Why can he get me to feel so flustered? Why can he get me to blush? Why does he always make me feel better?... Why did I go to him about Mom, instead of Ino? _She asked herself all of these questions, thinking for a long time. Her eyes slowly widened as she came to the realization of what she was dealing with. "O... Oh my God." She choked out.

Ino nodded a bit, giving a passive face. She was hiding how she was feeling, until she knew just how Sakura felt about it. "Yup..." She said, waiting for Sakura to say it.

Sakura's eyes grew big, she looked down while her jaw trembled. A bright red blush spread across her cheeks, as she forced out the words that immediately came to mind. "I...I am in love with Naruto." She admitted not just to Ino, but also to herself.

Next thing she knew, she was engulfed in a giant hug. She blinked rapidly, before looking over at her friend. "I-Ino?! W-Why're you hugging me?" She asked, still a bit in shock.

Ino pulled away from the hug, smiling brightly. "Nothing! I'm just... Really happy for you, Sakura." She said, before looking down. "I was really worried about you... I mean, you seemed to have moved on from Sasuke-kun, but for a while there I wasn't sure what you were going through. You seemed almost uncertain about what you were going to do. But... I'm glad to see that you've found someone who can truly appreciate you." She explained, keeping her smile for the pinkette.

Sakura stared at Ino dumbfounded, before smiling. "Thank you, Ino. That means a lot." She said, before giving her friend another hug.

Ino looked at Sakura's clock, sighing a bit before standing up. "Well, I should probably get my parents home. I'm certain that they're too drunk to get home on their own now." She grumbled, annoyed by her parents drinking habits whenever they attended parties. She then looked over at the pinkette, a smile spreading across her cheeks. "Make sure you tell me how it goes, okay? I wanna hear everything." She requested, giving a wave before walking out of the room.

Sakura laughed a bit at Ino's words, staring at the closed door. She looked down, putting her hand to her chest once again. "I... love Naruto." She said to herself quietly, before falling back on her bed.

The pinkette's eyes opened suddenly, looking around at her dimly lit room while she regained her barrings. She picked herself up, rubbing her eyes to get rid of her blurry vision. "Mmnn... What time is it?..." She asked herself, swinging her legs off of the bed.

She looked up, staring at her clock. "11 am, huh?... Good, means I have time." She stated out loud, nodding slowly before standing up. Sakura walked over and opened her closet. She stared at all the outfits she had, her eyebrows furrowing. "Maybe not..." She muttered, before digging through her closet.

Sakura stared at herself in the mirror, her eyebrow twitching at the outfit she ended up choosing.

_Maybe... Maybe I shouldn't go with this one. _She thought reluctantly, starting to regret this decision.

_**Oh, don't be like that! You look cute and that's what's important! **_Her inner self pointed out in confidence. _**You just know that he's gonna love seeing you in this! **_She pointed out to the pinkette.

Sakura shook her head, looking down in embarrassment. "But it's... It's too much! I..." She trailed off, not even capable of making a good counter point. She pulled out a trench coat from her closet, grumbling. "F-Fine! If it'll make him happy, I'll wear it!" She barely shouted, her face still somewhat red at the thought of the blonde seeing her in this.

She put on the coat, and along with all of the essentials, walked out of the house. As she walked, a smile replaced Sakura's previous frown. "I can't wait to see how he reacts to this." She said excitedly.

* * *

><p>Naruto slowly walked out of his room, his hair still somewhat damp from his shower. He let out a drawn out yawn, before going over to the kitchen.<p>

_I slept terribly... _He thought to himself, brewing himself up a pot of coffee. He rubbed his tired eyes, then slapped his face a couple times.

_**Perhaps it's because you spent all day yesterday just thinking about how the girl will react to your gift. And for a good portion of last night. **_Kurama pointed out, a chuckle escaping his lips.

Naruto poured his cup of coffee, and took a sip, not even bothering to fix it. "Yeah, I get it, I over obsessed about it and I paid for it. Do you really have to rub it in, Kurama?" The blonde asked, before taking a large gulp of his hot drink.

The large fox snorted in response _**Of course I do. Because that's what happens when you focus to much on something, it just becomes a problem later. **_Kurama answered, the blonde swearing he could picture the fox giving him a smug look.

The blonde finished off his cup, sighing a bit. "Bitter..." He said quietly, before pouring himself another cup, this time fixing it to meet his standards. "Can you blame me, though? I've never done something like this for her before, and I don't know how she's gonna respond." He explained, taking a sip of his new cup.

_**I can pretty much guarantee that she'll at least be happy. You know that as well as I do. **_Kurama stated, not really giving it a second thought.

Naruto didn't respond, only continued to drink his coffee. "Well, I doubt I'll be able to see her today, so I promise I won't dwell on it, okay?" He said to the fox, a small smile showing on his features.

_**Alright then, you better keep to that promise. **_The fox warned, growling lowly at the end of his sentence.

_*Knock Knock*_

The blonde looked up from his coffee, looking toward the door. "Huh? Who could that be?" The blonde asked rhetorically, before walking toward the door. "It can't be Iruka-sensei, he would've told me he was coming yesterday." He said to himself, writing one possible visitor off the list.

He put his hand on the doorknob and opened the door, his eyes widening at the sight before him.

Sakura gave him a wave, while wearing a bright smile. "Merry Christmas, Naruto!" She said happily to the gawking blonde. She was wearing a short red dress with long sleeves and fluffy white trimmings. The dress cut just above her shoulders, and she wore a black belt. She also wore brown gloves, and had on black stockings. What finished her appearance were brown boots, and a santa hat sitting on her head. She screamed Christmas, and had the blonde at a loss for words.

Well, one word came to mind.

_Cute... She's really cute. _The blonde thought to himself, his face starting to grow red.

Sakura bonked the blonde on the head, causing him to snap out of his trance. "You gonna keep staring, or are you gonna let me in, baka?" She asked, glad she got a good reaction out of him.

Naruto blinked, before stepping aside. "P-Please come in, Sakura-chan." He stuttered, looking down at her again as she walked past.

"You're so sweet, thanks." She said somewhat sarcastically, giving him another smile as she walked into his living room. "Hey, it's still clean in here." She whistled, impressed by the blonde's ability to keep his house clean for more than a day.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, walking into the kitchen. "C'mon, I'm not THAT bad, Sakura-chan." He mumbled, before pouring himself another cup of coffee. He then looked over at her, taking a sip of his drink. "So, what brings you here? Aren't you supposed to be with your family?" He asked, confused as to why the pinkette decided to stop in, in such an outfit no less.

Sakura put her bags on the table, then looked over at the blonde. "Nope. Not spending Christmas with the family." She said simply, giving him a rather passive look.

Naruto's eyes opened fully, putting his cup aside. "What? Why not? Isn't Christmas supposed to be a time to spend with your family?" He asked the pinkette, rather surprised that she would simply not spend Christmas with them.

Sakura nodded, walking over to him. "Sure. But..." She trailed off, looking to the side. Her face slowly grew a tint of pink, as she began to fidget. "I... Um... I decided that..." She mumbled, looking down completely.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the pinkette, before folding his arms. "Huh? Decided what?" He asked the pinkette, not knowing what the hell she was thinking.

Sakura looked up at him, a frustrated look was plastered on her face. "I decided to spend Christmas with you, Baka!" She shouted, her fists trembling as she stared at the dumbfounded blonde.

He looked back at her, mouth agape before pointing at himself. "With me?" He asked, she nodded in response. "Why?" He pressed further, wanting to know her exact reasons.

Sakura looked to the side, huffing a bit. "W-What, am I not allowed to spend Christmas with you?" She asked in irritation, she didn't know why but she decided to hide her true intentions.

Naruto stared at Sakura wide eyed for a minute, before smiling calmly at her. "Fair enough." He said finally, before walking past. "So, what're we gonna be doing? Knowing you, you have the whole day planned out." He said, looking back toward her.

Sakura laughed a bit, rubbing the back of her head. "W-Well... I plan to make dinner later, but I wanted to go around the village with you first." She explained, showing that she really didn't have it fully thought through.

Naruto stared at her for a moment, before continuing to walk toward his room. "Alright then." He said simply, reaching his door, and opening it. "Oh, Sakura-chan." He started, causing the pinkette to look over at him.

"Yeah?"

Naruto looked back at her, giving her a warm smile. "Thank you." He finally said, before walking into his room to get ready for the day.

Sakura's face went completely red from this, as she rubbed her head.

_Dammit, why can he do that?! I've already blushed like, what, 2 times? And I've only been here 5 minutes! _She thought to herself in frustration, rubbing her face as she let out a groan.

_It'll okay, I just need to stay calm, and enjoy the day. It's Christmas, after all! _Sakura thought positively to herself, she wasn't about to let her feelings for the blonde infect her mind.

She pulled a few things out of the bags, and put them in the fridge to keep them fresh. Just as she did, the blonde walked out of his room fully dressed. He stretched his arms, before flashing the pinkette a smile. "Alright, ready to go?" He asked, taking his jacket off of a chair and slipping it on.

Sakura nodded, walking toward the door. "Yep. Let's go!" She said happily before walking toward the door. The blonde followed her out, and just before they closed the door, she did a subtle hand sign.

_By the time we get back... Everything should be ready. _She thought to herself, walking down the steps with the blonde.

* * *

><p>The two slowly walked through the streets of Konoha, completely silent as they looked everywhere except at each other.<p>

Sakura looked to the side, her face somewhat flushed as she mentally berated herself.

_Dammit, I said I'd stay calm and enjoy the day but... What the hell do I say?!_

"...So, did you patch things up with your Mother?" The blonde asked, causing Sakura to look toward him in slight surprise.

The pinkette nodded somewhat, looking back down. "Yeah, she wasn't really that mad anymore." She said, pretty much pointing out that they kind of forgot the fight, more than worked things out.

Naruto looked forward, giving an understanding look. "Is that right?... Okay then." He responded, going quiet once again.

Sakura, not wanting the awkward silence to return looked back at him. "S-So, how's things with you? I mean, you're always asking me how I'm doing, but you never talk about yourself." She brought up, both genuinely curious, and desperate to keep a conversation going.

Naruto looked at Sakura with a raised eyebrow, before looking forward. He closed his eyes as his face scrunched up, while he thought back. "Well... I've been training a lot. Baa-chan is also putting me through Hokage training. Even though they already said Kakashi-sensei was going to be Hokage before me..." He mumbled sadly, before his smile returned. "I've also gotten really close with Kurama." He said happily, before noticing a confused look on the pinkette's face. "O-Oh, that's the Kyuubi's actual name." He explained to her.

Sakura's eyes opened fully, before a smile showed on her face. "That's good to hear. I'm happy that you're making progress on your dream too. Though, I am surprised you haven't brought it up before. You're usually the type who would brag about something like Hokage training." She said teasingly, laughing a bit at the blonde's pout.

Naruto looked to the side, his pout still there. "I'm trying to be calmer, and not act as childish. I-It's one of the practices Baa-chan is having me do." He explained, an embarrassed look showing on his face.

The pinkette let out a mild chuckle. "Is that so? Honestly that doesn't surprise me, knowing Tsunade-sama." She said knowingly, before the conversation slowly started to simmer down. Sakura looked back down, uncertain of what to do now.

_**Hold his hand! **_Inner Sakura shouted, causing Sakura's pupils to shrink.

_W-What?! Why?! _She thought loudly, uncertain of her inner self's intentions.

_**He'll like it, plus YOU like him anyways! Take that first step, dammit! **_Inner yelled confidently, sounding kind of like Lee... Eugh.

Sakura's face slowly went red, keeping her eyes to the ground.

Naruto kept silent as they walked, uncertain on where they were going. That really didn't matter, though, he was with Sakura and he was following her. He then felt something grab his hand, he looked over and his eyes widened to see that Sakura was now holding his hand.

_Sakura is holding my hand... What?! _The blonde thought to himself in shock, why was she doing this?

Sakura stole a glance at the blonde, and saw the surprised and confused look on his face. "W-What?... I just... Wanted to hold your hand, is all." She stated, hiding her blush from the blonde. "Is that a problem?" She asked, feeling him jump a bit in response.

"N-No it's fine." He answered, making Sakura smile in response. They both went quiet, walking hand in hand.

_Okay. This is already the best Christmas ever. I wonder what else she has planned? _The blonde thought curiously, now really looking forward to the rest of the day.

As they walked, they started to hear whispers from people walking by. Seeing how they were pretty well known in the village, them holding hands got attention.

"Is that Naruto and Sakura? They're spending time together on Christmas?"

"You think they're on a date?"

"Doubt it. Though you never know with those two. One minute they're best friends, the next Sakura has him by the throat."

"It would be refreshing if they were dating. Honestly the amount of destroyed roads that have occurred from Sakura beating him?"

Naruto looked around at the whisperers, then looked at Sakura who was staring at the ground. "S-Sakura-cha-"

"Come on, let's keep going." She interrupted, picking up her pace and dragging Naruto along.

* * *

><p>They finally got to the location, and Sakura let go of his hand, slowly walking forward. Naruto looked at the pinkette in concern, seeing how she was completely silent from the time that they started holding hands, until now. Those people must have gotten to her.<p>

The blonde rubbed the back of his head, looking to the side with a slight grimace showing on his face. "Look, Sakura-chan... About the people from before..." He started, but stopped when Sakura looked back at him in confusion.

Sakura put her hand on her hip, shaking her head. "It's fine, Naruto. It's not like they were wrong about some of the things they said." She said, looking up as it started to get dark. She looked back, staring in the opposite direction from the blonde. She jumped when she felt a hand put on her shoulder. She looked up at the blonde in surprise. "N-Naruto..." She whispered, all the while frowning.

Naruto looked down at her, smiling sadly. "I can tell that you feel guilty, Sakura-chan. And I don't need to use Kurama's power to know that." He stated, causing the pinkette to look away sadly. "If it's any consolation, I was never mad whenever you did hit me. I know you only did it when I did something stupid, which sometimes, I really did deserve." He explained, laughing a bit while rubbing the back of his head.

Sakura looked at Naruto with wide eyes, before giving him a hug, making him jump in surprise. "Baka... I'm still sorry for being a jerk sometimes." She apologized, putting her face in his chest.

Naruto stared down at her in shock, before putting his hand on his head. "I forgive you." He said simply, smiling widely at her.

Sakura backed away from him, returning her smile. She then took his hand, and brought him along. "This is what I wanted to show you." She walked to the edge of the Hokage monument with the blonde, and looked down toward the village.

The blonde stared in awe at the village in it's beauty. It was blanketed in snow, with colored lights sprinkled throughout. The lights only accentuated the beauty of the view, making the snow sparkle brightly. He felt something cold land on his nose, causing him to look up and see snow slowly falling from the sky. "Well, I'm definitely impressed." He said with a wide smile on his face.

Sakura locked her gaze on the village, not daring to look away. "It's such a rare sight to see... We so rarely get snow here, and with the lights... It's something I always love to see, so I come here every year." She explained happily, looking over at the blonde.

Naruto looked at Sakura, his eyes meeting hers. "Thank you for showing me this." He said, his wide smile turning into a smaller one.

"Oh!" Sakura gasped, before unzipping her bag. "I almost forgot about this. Your gift!" She explained, pulling out a carefully wrapped gift.

Naruto looked at it, then at Sakura. "You didn't have t-"

Sakura put her finger to his lips, giving him an angry smile. "Don't you dare start, Naruto. I wanted to do this." She said with mild agitation, only getting a quiet nod from the blond. Her smile calmed, before handing it over to him. "Alright then, here you go." She gave the gift to the blonde, while he stared at it curiously.

He opened the gift, and his pupils shrunk at what it was. It was a picture of his Mother and Father standing together. His jaw dropped a bit while he put his hand to the picture, staring at it in silence.

He looked up at Sakura, his pupils still as small as dots. "W-Where did you...?" He trailed off, his capability of speaking practically gone.

Sakura laughed a bit, folding her arms behind her back. "I asked Shishou if she could find a picture of them, it took a few hours to get it. Which is what I wanted to explain... I didn't immediately go home after I left the other day. I spent several hours making preparations for today, and that was the main reason." She explained, before giving him a warm smile. "Merry Christmas, Naruto- Wha?!" She cut off, getting engulfed in a warm loving embrace.

Her eyes were widened, and while she had just given him a hug before, she wasn't expecting him to give her such a sudden one. It was a very strong hug, too. She felt like she could stay like this with him forever, his warmth was intoxicating. She felt something warm and wet hit the top of her head. "T...Thank you..." She heard from the blonde, his choked speech could only mean that he was crying.

Sakura looked up at him, brushing her thumb against his face to wipe his tears. "You're welcome." She said softly.

Naruto stared into her eyes for a long while, before blinking himself. "Oh... Um... I got something for you, too." He said nervously, fishing a box out of his jacket pocket.

Sakura looked at it in mild surprise, not expecting a gift herself. "O-Okay then. Thanks." She said, before taking the box in hand. She removed the ribbon, and opened the box, immediately putting a hand to her mouth. "O-Oh my god. Naruto... You bought this?" She asked in shock. What she was staring at was a chain necklace with an emerald gemstone attached to the end.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, looking to the side. "I... I saw it once in a store and it reminded me of you. So I bought it right after you left the other day." He explained sheepishly.

She put the necklace around her neck, and held the gemstone in her hand, gazing at its beauty. She looked up at Naruto, touched that even now when she was trying to do something for him, he still found a way to also make it about her. Tears slowly ran down her face, as a wide smile built on her face.

Naruto's eyes widened at Sakura's reaction, as he began to stutter. "W-What's wrong, Sakura-chan?! Did I do something wrong?!" He asked panicked, hoping he didn't screw this up.

Sakura wiped her eyes, laughing a bit at his reaction. "You dummy..." She said quietly, before walking upto him, and leaning up, giving him a small kiss. "I love it..." She said lovingly, before backing away.

Naruto froze, staring at the pinkette before putting his hand to his lips. "W-Why did... There's no mistletoe." He said dumbly, making Sakura laugh loudly, only confusing him more.

She put a hand to her chest as her laughter died down a bit. "Honestly, baka! Do I really need to say it?" She asked, only seeing a nod in response. She wrapped her arms around his neck, smirking a bit. "Fine then..." She trailed off, her smirk turning into a loving smile, her eyes growing big. "I love you, Naruto." She said happily.

Naruto stared at her in shock, before his jaw began to quiver. "I... I love you too, Sakura-chan." He said, before pulling her into a deep kiss, surprising the pinkette.

The two parted after a minute, taking a few breaths. Sakura smirked at the blonde's gesture. "Well, that was a bold move. I liked it." She stated, getting a laugh from the blonde. "Now then... How about that dinner?" She asked the blonde, who could only give a toothy grin.

"Dinner sounds great."

* * *

><p>The End.<p>

Holy fuck this is a lot longer than I meant for it to be.

But hey, at least I got it done before Christmas ended!

Later.


End file.
